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There is No Place Like Home... and Dorothy's Ruby Slippers | APPAM Leadership Blog Series

Having spent my childhood in Kansas, I’m all about Dorothy’s ruby slippers. There is in fact no place like home, and I’m proud to call APPAM my professional home for the past three plus decades. This will be APPAM’s 40th research conference—our ruby anniversary. Never has rigorous policy evidence been more important. We must continue to attract and support young professionals to grow and improve our field.

The Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM), in conjunction with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the National Tax Association (NTA) are pleased to announce that Professor Ronald C. Fisher, Michigan State University, is the recipient of this year’s Steven D. Gold Award. The award annually recognizes a person who has made a significant contribution to public financial management in the field of intergovernmental relations and state and local finance. He will receive the award in early November during APPAM’s Fall Research Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"I am both astonished and exceedingly grateful to receive this award,” said Fisher. “As most of my professional work has been directed at public finance policy, recognition from colleagues in the policy analysis community is very much appreciated. Steve provided a terrific model for how to provide effective policy information to the public sector, and of course I am honored to join the list of distinguished past recipients."

Fisher is Professor of Economics and Adjunct Professor of Accounting and Information Systems at Michigan State. He has served as dean of the Honors College, chair of the Department of Economics, and as a member of various university councils and committees. Fisher specializes in the study of government finance and taxation, particularly regarding state and local governments. He is the author of State and Local Public Finance, the leading textbook in the field, as well as more than 100 professional articles, research reports, and books on public finance. Fisher received his Ph.D. and M.A. in economics from Brown University.

The award is given in memory of Steve Gold, who was an active member of all three organizations that sponsor it. Gold’s career and life was tragically shortened by illness in 1996. The award was established in 1997. Previous winners include Stephen Klein, David Sjoquist, Andrew Reschovsky, and Gary Olson.